


Tales from the Thieves' Guild

by Kairi_of_Knives



Series: The Hermit and Her Joker [2]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Friendship, Insecurity, Multi, Oneshot Series, Sorting out feelings, The family that stays together gets together, Too many heart to heart conversations for one fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-11-16 00:07:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11242131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kairi_of_Knives/pseuds/Kairi_of_Knives
Summary: The former Phantom Thieves of Hearts may have set their days of stealing treasures behind them, but their journey together is just beginning.  Every day can be an adventure when you live with all of your best friends.  Follows the life and times of the Phantom Family whilst living in what became known as the Thieves' Guild.  Takes place a year or so after "Trading Hearts".





	1. The Founding of The Guild

**Author's Note:**

> Not Beta'd. I did my very best to make numbers and locations realistic. I likely failed. Do forgive me.

Mornings at LeBlanc were Haru's favorite time to work. The regular early morning guests would file in for their much needed coffees before heading out to brave another day in Tokyo. After the 7 AM rush, the shop was quiet, with only the lovely backdrop of singing birds and the distant sounds of the trains to grasp her attention. The angle of the sunlight through the window was also pristine, lighting up the wood of the benches to make them look bright and inviting. 

 

 

Gosh, she was starting to sound like Yusuke.

 

The thought brought a smile to her face nonetheless. It was March, just after the last of the school year. Ann, Ryuji, and Yusuke had just graduated, much to her and Makoto's relief. It seemed like every single day recently the former Phantom Thieves gathered to play games, hang out or just exist in the same space. Even Makoto joined in on their fun, pushing off her internship work just enough to let her hair down for once. They hadn't spent this much time together since the days of after school Palace infiltrations and driving aimlessly through Mementos. Haru sighed happily. God, she loved her weird little family.

 

Her pessimistic side whispered that their closeness now was a testament to the limited time they had left. Sure, Haru and Makoto had been out of high school for a year, working and going to college respectively, but the vast majority of their group had still been in highschool, so there were only really three schedules to work around. Now, Ann would pick up modelling full time, Yusuke would start travelling for his art, and Ryuji would be getting his coaching certification. The only person guaranteed to be free in the afternoons would be Futaba, stuck in high school for two more years. Six schedules to work around would make meeting up quite difficult.

 

Haru sighed, resting her head against the counter top of the bar. She didn't want things to change. If only there were a way to give them a reason to stay together...

 

A series of clumsy thumps coming down the stairs shocked her out of her contemplation. From around the corner emerged a familiar mop of black hair as well as Morgana, who happily leapt onto the bar to greet her.

 

"Good morning, Haru!"

 

She smiled serenely. The last piece of their family puzzle, the joint presence of Akira and Morgana, had just returned to Tokyo about a week prior. Her mornings were even better now that she could count on Akira fumbling down from the attic when the smell of coffee finally made its way up to his bed. While she was glad to see the two, and was overjoyed that their group hang outs were entirely complete with their addition, she mourned the fact that she still had no idea how long they would be staying or what Akira's next move would be.  Though, from her short talks with Boss and Makoto, Akira also didn't seem to have that figured out yet.

 

Said boy, still in his sweat pants and black long sleeved sleep shirt, plopped down on the stool next to Morgana, seeming still half asleep. Their eyes met and he smiled lazily "G'morning."

 

"Good morning to you two as well! Would you like some coffee, Akira?"

 

"Better make it a good bitter as hell black roast, Haru. This genius stayed up until 3 AM with Futaba even though he knew we were planning to go to Seaside Park at 10 this morning," Morgana quipped, with his typical cocky expression on his face.

 

She looked at Akira for confirmation, who had that dumb happy smile on his face that usually showed up whenever someone mentioned Futaba. It was quite adorable, really, how smitten he was. "Just fuck me up, fam," he nodded, yawning and stretching a bit.

 

Haru giggled. "Coming right up!"

 

It was interesting to Haru how Akira and Futaba had yet to announce that they were dating. It had been over a year now, after all. She remembered when Futaba had rushed off by herself to Kyoto to meet Akira. Ryuji and Ann had gone on and on about how cute it was that she had such an obvious crush on the elder boy and made guesses concerning when they would finally confess to one another. Haru had barely restrained her laughter, sharing a knowing look with Makoto, the only other member to have discover their relationship status without being told. Makoto had figured it out through context clues. Haru had figured it out when Boss asked her to deliver dinner to Futaba in her room and had heard the two flirting aggressively over Skype. It was heartwarming really. A romance fit for a fairy tale. The thief who stole the maiden's heart to save her life settling down for a calm life, enjoying mutual freedom with the woman he fought so hard to rescue. How ideal.

 

Haru's smile fell. She cast a glance at Akira. How tragic she could never be with the man who saved her from her wretched fate...

 

No, she repremanded herself. That didn't matter now. Akira was one of her trusted friends. Her family. That could be enough.

 

And besides, she thought, pouring the newly made coffee into a cup, Futaba was probably much better suited to Akira's tastes. Who could possibly end up wanting the spoiled brat of a twisted businessman, now doomed to struggle with the strife of being his only inherent for the rest of her life? She sighed. Such was life.

 

As she set the coffee down on the table, watching with amusement as Akira gagged and scrunched his face up at the bitter taste, the bell to the shop's front door rang and in filed their little family, excitedly chattering to one another and demanding breakfast from poor Boss. So much for a quiet morning. Futaba rushed over to sit next to Akira, narrowly beating Ryuji, who scowled at her for the offense of stealing his best friend's attention. Her victorious grin and boasting laughter was enough to put that dopey smile back on Akira's face and that was quite enough for Haru, thank you very much. 

 

She turned away, slightly desperate for something to do. And then came Makoto, carrying the dirty coffee cups left over from breakfast, her own personal knight in shining armor. (Or she, supposed, skin tight leather armor.) "Here," Makoto offered, "I'll help you get these cleaned up before Boss starts cooking."

 

Makoto's kind smile and warm company soothed her for the moment. "That would be wonderful, Mako-chan. Thank you."

 

~~~

 

They stayed out almost the entire day, riding the ferris wheel and playing games. They agreed to eat dinner at the diner, mostly to give Boss a break from their rambunctious presence, but also because Ann had to start her "crazy unfair stupid no fun" diet next week and wanted to enjoy food as much as she could before then. She had just gone to the bathroom to wash her hands when Makoto came out of a stall. They shared a smile in the mirror. Haru was just about to leave when Makoto spoke up.

 

"Hey, Haru. Do you have a moment?"

 

By her tone of voice, Haru could guess that Makoto was going to field one of her theories. Basically nothing got passed her and she tended to confront people about things as soon as she was convinced she was seeing what she thought she was. Might as well let it happen. "Of course. What's on your mind?"

 

Makoto sighed, turning off the sink. "Honestly, I'd rather talk about what's on yours. You seem bothered by something lately."

 

Haru nodded, smiling wryly, "A few things really."

 

Her friend took a step toward her and drew her into a hug which she very easily accepted. "I know you're a capable young woman. I won't bother you anymore about any of this. But, maybe, if these things involve a person specifically...you should talk to them about it? I hear that person is really sweet about these things. And if you ever wanted to talk to me, I'm always here."

 

Haru nodded into Makoto's neck, squeezing her tightly. "Thanks for looking out for me Mako-chan."

 

"Anytime."

 

~~~

 

The next morning, Haru was still attending to her regulars when Akira came down. He was already dressed for the day and, much to her surprise, immediately grabbed an apron from the rack and asked what orders she still had yet to fill.

 

"Um. You really don't have to do this, Akira."

 

The boy smiled at her, cleaning off his glasses and acknowledging, "I know, but I want to. I loved working here before last year and it's not like I have anything better to do. So, are you going to let me help or what?"

 

As dedicated and stubborn as ever, that Akira. She smiled and rattled off a couple orders to him, filling the others herself. Between the two of them, they had served everyone and even done any necessary refills in no time. It was a different sort of feel. She was used to silently going about her tasks and enjoying the serene morning glow and smell of fresh coffee. This time though, there was small talk and laughter passed between the pair as they worked. Akira was a damn good barista from his extensive time learning from Boss. Haru felt like it was a challenge to defeat not only her own standards, but her "rival" as well.

 

It was the best morning she had had in awhile.

 

When the regulars were mostly gone, she expected Akira to leave. Instead, he made them both cups of coffee and settled down at the bar.

 

"I feel like we haven't spoken very much since I left," he explained before she could even ponder why he chose to stay indoors with her when he could be anywhere else by now. "I loved learning about coffee and hanging out with you back then. I miss it."

 

Her heart clenched painfully. If only he knew...

 

"I...missed it as well, Akira. But us not talking as much is to be expected, right? I mean, you're busy with Futaba and figuring out your life..."

 

Akira was silent for awhile, observing her idly while stirring his coffee. After awhile he nodded to himself and sheepishly muttered, "Ah. I'm sorry, Haru. I've been a bit oblivious haven't I?"

 

A blush grew on her cheeks. Her heart pounded from shock and slight fear of where this conversation could be headed. "You're...sorry? Um. W-what do you mean?"

 

"I haven't been very considerate of your feelings is all." Akira shook his head, looking so...sad. It was almost painful to stand there and look at such an alien expression on his face. "I kind of knew you felt, well, something for me back then. I mean, there was my stunt at the school festival and how everyone kept assuming we were together when we were dealing with your father's old employees and your fiance. I...know I didn't respond to your feelings back then, but I never quite gave you a flat out answer. I guess I just didn't want to hurt you unnecessarily.

 

"But, honestly, I really should have. I see that now," Akira stood and came around the bar to stand before Haru, bowing deeply, "I'm sorry I didn't handle this very well. Please forgive me."

 

Tears sprang up in her eyes. "A-Akira, what brought this on? I don't understand..."

 

The boy righted himself, scratching at his neck awkwardly. "You're bothered by it, right? Futaba and me?"

 

"Oh. Um." She couldn't quite get the words out. Breathe, Haru, breathe.

 

"We have been trying to not be too...public with our affections. Even Sojiro doesn't like to see the evidence, even if he is ok with our relationship in theory. I'll talk to Futaba about it and see-"

 

"N-no! Please. Please don't! I." She paused hugging herself and trying hard to regulate her breathing. Understanding flooded into Akira's eyes and he nodded, giving her time. If there was one thing she adored about Akira, it was how he seemed to understand her without her having to speak. Truthfully, that was true of all their members, but it still managed to surprise her.

 

Haru took a shaky breath and explained, "Please don't change what you and Futaba do on my behalf. That's not fair to either of you. I don't want that. You two seem so happy and I am honestly happy for you.  It's not your relationship that bothers me, it's..." She sighed, shook her head. "This is just...my issue to deal with. And I will deal with it! Really. I just...need to work through some things."

 

Akira nodded. "I understand. I don't know how useful this could be, but...if you wanted to try to talk through what's going on with me, I'd be more than happy to listen." He coughed, grimacing a bit. "I definitely get it if that is the opposite of helpful though."

 

Haru considered this. The two people Haru had always found it easiest to talk to about such things were Akira and Makoto. And she really did hate how distant she felt from Akira currently. Maybe it wouldn't help, but would she actually know until she tried?

 

The cafe was empty. And Boss wasn't due to come in until 10. They would have a good hour. She turned back to Akira and smiled shakily.

 

"If...you're sure. Shall we get some more coffee and sit down to talk?"

 

~~~

 

"So if I might try to summarize: long story short, the biggest problem is that you feel like we are all drifting apart and don't want that to happen." He paused to let Haru correct him.  She merely smiled and motioned for him to continue. "With me specifically, you're sort of jealous of me being in a relationship...because it might mean we don't talk as much. It's not like you wanting to be with me in place of Futaba, but like you feel like us dating takes both Futaba and I away from you in some sense?"

 

Haru nodded sharply, "Yes that is an excellent summary."

 

Akira hummed to himself, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the table. "I certainly get the fear that we might drift apart. I can't deny that I've thought of that myself. Though, for all the thought, I've come up with no way of fixing it."

 

The girl sighed, threading her fingers together. "Nor have I."

 

They let the conversation stew between them for awhile. Though, it had mostly been a half hour of her venting, Haru was certainly glad she decided to try this. Akira was a splendid listener and putting her feelings into words made them seem less daunting than they really were. Perhaps the greater issue at hand had yet to be solved, but she felt better than she did before, for certain.

 

"Well, I think we may need to think about the drifting thing a bit more. But, as for our relationship, how about we go do something fun, just the two of us? No better way to prove that me dating Futaba doesn't stop you and I from being close friends than going out and enjoying time together, right?"

 

Akira's sweetness never ceased to amaze her. Haru giggled, "That does sound wonderful. And I will certainly endeavor to do that with both you and Futaba in the near future, but sadly my uncle has asked a favor of me this afternoon."

 

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

 

She stood, gathering their dishes and brought them to the sink. "Well, he owns a piece of property out in Hiroo, very close to Shibuya. He had it remodeled because it seemed like a wonderful place to rent out, but with my father's passing he decided to vacate it. He's not sure if he wants to sell it or go through with renting it, but he is concerned that it might have been broken into or fallen into disrepair. He'd like some photos."

 

Akira stood, coming to help with their dishes. "Well, I still have nothing planned for today. And I have heard that Hiroo has some pretty swanky residences. I'd be interested in seeing the place if you wanted company."

 

Haru smiled, "Well alright. If you insist on being bored, there really is no help for you."

 

They waited until Boss got in and took over the shop and then set out. It was strange, but as Haru followed Akira out into the backstreets, she couldn't help but feel as though all her problems were solved. She boarded the train for Shibuya filled with optimism and excitement, though she was yet to know quite why.

 

~~~

 

"Are you sure this is the place?"

 

She laughed, "Knowing who my father was, you still need to ask? I am certain this is the right address."

 

To prove her point, she typed a code into the locked gate, which immediately clicked and fell open. Akira raised a brow, seemingly impressed.

 

As they walked up the walkway Akira whistled, "This place is huge. Who exactly did your uncle expect to be renting to?"

 

Haru investigated the door. No signs of any forced entry. Satisfied, she fished the key out from her purse and pushed the front door open. The sky was still plenty bright so the lack of lights on didn't bother her in the slightest. They stepped into the main foyer and Akira's jaw dropped.

 

With a giggle, Haru explained, "It could have been a lot of things. Family with at least three children or hoping to accommodate their elderly parents. It's not all that special. But it is large, I suppose. A four bedroom and three bath home is hard to snag nowadays."

 

Akira floated around the home, remarking on the quality of the kitchen, the laundry room, and most of all, the extremely large living area. It was a bit like a pit, with three couches in the shape of a rectangle missing one side. There was an unoccupied TV stand on the wall so that all couch occupants could see it clearly. The main room had a hallway leading off to one bedroom, the master suite with an adjoining master bath. The stairs were at the beginning of that hallway and led up to a balcony type hallway overlooking the living room. There was another large bedroom with a bathroom of its own straight ahead from the stairs and two more smaller bedrooms and a hallway bathroom for the two to share to the right, situated above the master bedroom. One of the single bedrooms was small but had a huge walk-in closet. The other was a wide open room with wooden floors as opposed to the beige carpet of the hallway and a pitifully small closet.

 

His tour of the house left him standing in the upper landing, thoughts ablaze. Each bedroom had its own distinct feel to it. It was like they were made for specific personalities.

 

Interestingly enough, they were personalities much like ones he knew and loved.

 

Haru came up the stairs, phone in her hands and a smile on her face. "Well there doesn't seem to be any damage to any of the house or the furniture. It's a bit dusty but that's nothing the cleaning staff couldn't fix. I'm sure Uncle will be pleased."

 

Akira nodded but remained silent. Haru made an inquisitive noise. "Is everything ok, Akira?"

 

"How much would your uncle probably ask in rent?"

 

Haru's eyebrows shot up at the question. "Oh. I. Well, I don't know. It is a nice location and mostly furnished. I suppose it would depend on the tenets. Why?"

 

Akira turned to Haru, eyes alight with an idea. The familiarity of that look enthralled Haru. "Why would we all drift apart? What's changing now that dictates that?"

 

The woman hummed, shifting her weight back and forth, "Well, it's just that Ann, Ryuji, Yusuke and you aren't in highschool any more. You're not necessarily tied down to this place anymore."

 

Akira nodded, "Yeah, because the next natural step after graduate high school is moving out of your parents place and either going to University or getting a job, right?"

 

"I suppose so."

 

"There are plenty of opportunities in Tokyo and outside of it, and none of the others have those set in stone yet. So the reason we could drift is if the new opportunity forced a change in location." Akira, paused, licking his lips. "So what if we just all localized to the same location before we even started looking for those opportunities?"

 

Haru frowned, "I am a bit confused."

 

Akira shook his head wildly, pulling Haru forward, "Look. Look at this room. Large open space, large window with a view, wooden floors, no preference for closet space. The person would use the room for something messy, thus the the wooden floors instead of a carpet. Doesn't need a lot of stuff though. Who does that remind you of?"

 

Haru stared into the room for a moment, picturing it, before the light bulb in her head visibly turned on and she whispered, "Yusuke."

 

Akira smiled excitedly, bounded to the next room over. "How about this one? Smaller room. Space for maybe a Queen sized bed at most but look at this closet. It's huge. Who has enough clothes to need a closet like this?"

 

Haru chirped immediately, "Ann!"

 

"Right! The other two rooms are large. We could fit two, maybe even three people in each of them. Ryuji and I could bunk together. You and Makoto were already talking about renting a small place when Makoto's lease was up. Futaba could squeeze in somewhere else as long as she has a dedicated place for her computer and Morgana could own the entire living room if he so chose. One of those couches has a pull out bed in it, too."

 

As he spoke, the idea Akira was trying to explain took root in Haru's gut and grew larger and larger until her whole body was tingling with excitement. "The whole group could live together. Like a dormitory just for us," she whispered, awed.

 

The pair stared at each other, expressions a mix of excitement and disbelief. Haru wasn't sure who started giggling first, but before long they had collapsed into each other's arms, tears in the corners of their eyes and laughing heartily. When they separated, Haru rushed to take pictures of the other rooms and then immediately called her Uncle.

 

"Hello, Uncle! Yes. Yes, the house is just fine. It looks great actually, no damage whatsoever. Mmhmm. I can send the pictures immediately. Oh, it's no trouble at all. You're very welcome. No, there's no need to pay me. Actually, Uncle, I have a question for you..."

 

~~~

 

"So where exactly are we going, you guys?"

 

Akira and Haru shared a grin, looking back at their group of friends with glee. "Oh, come on Ryuji, you don't want to ruin our fun, do you?"

 

Ryuji huffed, "I don't know, man. You two have been acting weird for the last week or so. Asking us what are plans are, if we started looking for apartments yet, all this future oriented crap in such a short time gives me heartburn and you know it. Then you demand we all meet up and go to an undisclosed location? Yeah. I'm suspicious."

 

Makoto laughed. "Oh, Ryuji. Please don't ever change."

 

Futaba smirked at Akira's side, holding a squirming Morgana. "Still, that was a surprising coherent thought for Ryuji. And not entirely unjustified." She turned her attention to Akira, narrowing her eyes in challenge. "I wonder what Mr. Leader has cooked up this time."

 

Akira beamed down at her, "While I would love to say I am responsible for this, that honor is completely Haru's."

 

A scoff cut him off, "Akira please, this was all your idea. Don't discredit your own stroke of genius."

 

"Ah, but I was powerless to do anything about my genius idea. You're the one who slaved the week away making it a reality."

 

Yusuke chuckled from Ryuji's side. "I, for one, am interested to see what could bring us to this part of town. Especially if it involves Haru."

 

Ann nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, yeah! Isn't Hiroo like one of the richer parts of Tokyo? If there's gonna be food involved, I'm so down!"

 

Makoto giggled, "I thought you were officially dieting Ann?"

 

A horrified gasp came from the blond, her hands over her heart. "Makoto! I expected that level of betrayal from Ryuji, not you!" 

 

They all laughed as Akira and Haru came to a stop at their gate. Haru turned around to the group and grinned. "Here we are!"

 

Haru punched in the key code and opened the front door, letting everyone file in. The various shocked exclamations brought warmth to Akira and Haru's chests.

 

Makoto was the one to finally ask the question of the hour. "This house is gorgeous, Haru, but...what are we doing here?"

 

Haru squealed a bit in excitement, beginning, "So, Akira and I were talking about how we know everyone is going to be starting new chapters in their life soon. And I was worried that those new chapters would mean not seeing each other as often."

 

Akira cut in, "Haru's uncle owned this place and asked her to come check out the house to make sure it didn't get damaged or broken into while vacant. And I couldn't help but notice how large it was and how many bedrooms there were. And Haru just happened to mention that her uncle was looking to fill the house."

 

"So," Haru jumped back in, "we thought we could potentially kill two birds with one stone and I told my uncle my plan. And he was very receptive and not only did he approve, but he gifted me the residency in exchange for a few favors on my end."

 

The group stared blankly, trying to process what was being said. Finally, Futaba spoke up, "So...Haru owns this house now?"

 

Akira and Haru both nodded.

 

"And," Makoto inquired, tone surprised, "the implication is that we could... live here?"

 

Haru beamed, "Akira and I did the calculations and between all of us, the utilities should only be around 16000 yen a month. We would also need to buy ourselves some furniture and hire movers to get our things here, but that seems like a minor down payment for a low monthly price."

 

Ryuji sputtered, "Only 16000 yen a month? Really? For THIS place? Holy fucking hell man, that's...that's..."

 

"Unheard of," Yusuke finished, seemingly in a daze.

 

Akira and Haru shared a grin again and Akira turned back to the group, "So...what do you guys think?"

 

It was quiet for a minute. Then, Ann burst into tears with a loud wail and flung herself into Haru's arms. Makoto leaned against a wall to steady herself, equally shocked. Ryuji was also steadily crying while Yusuke had a smile on his face so large it looked like it might split his face. Morgana took off to investigate the house and Futaba sidled up next to her boyfriend, grinning.

 

"Very nice surprise. It suits us. After all, could you imagine us co-dependent assholes trying to exist separately? Ha!"

 

Akira wrapped his arms around Futaba and nuzzled into her hair. "No. And now I don't have to imagine it."

 

Futaba placed her arms up around Akira's neck, stepping up on her tip toes. "You did good, Leader. I'm sure the group will be super duper happy."

 

One eyebrow quirked, Akira puzzled, "Not you?"

 

She shook her head a bit. "I'm gonna stay with Sojiro until I'm out of high school. I feel like we still have some time to make up for, ya know, due to the whole shut in period? Gotta capitalize on that Father-Daughter time while I can."

 

Akira nodded, smiling, "God, you're such a freaking angel. No one deserves you. No one."

 

Futaba laughed and pulled down on Akira's neck. "Yeah yeah, I'm perfect. Ya know what's actually perfect? Your lips. Now get down here and kiss me with them!"

 

She could still feel Akira's patented Joker Smirk when they kissed. Honestly, kisses tasted better when Akira was being a cocky son of a bitch. Though she would never admit it out loud.

 

The silence of the room alerted her to something being amiss. She and Akira's eyes both opened and they slowly pulled back, staying in the circle of each other's arms as they looked around. Ann had a comically wide gaping smile on. Yusuke was blushing a bit. And Ryuji, of course, was scraping his jaw on the floor from how open in shock it was.

 

Futaba huffed. "You guys are a year and change late. Haru and Makoto figured it out ages ago. Get. Good."

 

Then the noise was back in full scale, laughter and hugs and a single resigned "you guys are gonna lock me out of the room to make out huh?" rang out through the space. 

 

The group took a tour of the home, allowing everyone to pick their rooms. As expected, much to Akira's pleasure, Yusuke and Ann immediately fell in love with the small single bedrooms. There was no contest at all on that front. Ryuji jumped up and down excitedly at the idea of rooming with Akira, babbling about all the anime they'd have to watch and the massive amounts of video games they'd be playing together. And Makoto and Haru happily agreed to share the other two person room. Both boys insisted that the girls take the master suite, since they had more belongings and the house was technically Haru's. 

 

Futaba and Ryuji sat down immediately in the upstairs large bedroom, making plans to turn the room into the ultimate bunker for bad decisions and senseless gaming. Included in their discussion was the writing out of a list of pledges they would make to each other, so that they could best share Akira's attention, and accommodate the couple's alone time without disrespecting Ryuji. Makoto slumped against the kitchen counter at the thought of Ryuji being mature and decided they needed to keep the fridge stocked with wine, much to Morgan's amusement. 

 

The group spent hours enjoying planning out their new home's make up, none wanting to leave even though the last trains would be coming soon. Right before they left, Akira called everyone into the living room for one final surprise.

 

"Well, I'm glad we all seem to be enjoying this new development. I can't wait to get started turning this place into our new home. And the first step, I think, is a declaration that this house is ours. So, you guys can put your two cents in, but I went ahead and had this made."

 

From under one of the couches, Akira pulled a wooden sign. It has metal attachments so that it would hang snugly above the door, large enough to be readable from the street. In the wood was burned a single title, one that immediately brought a grin to every face. Perhaps they were entering a new chapter of life, but that certainly needn't be without fond memory of the chapter that brought them all together. Ryuji and Yusuke took special care to hang the plaque up before they left.

 

Before turning to make the walk back to the station, the young adults admired the sign, which proudly read, "THE THIEVES' GUILD".


	2. The S Word (Akira x Futaba)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For almost two years, Futaba and Akira's relationship has been...rather tame. But one well timed innuendo sends the house mates into a spiral of assumptions and jokes that starts as amusing, but ends up being a source of stress for our young couple, especially Futaba.
> 
> Advisory: Contains discussion of body insecurity and sexual themes. (Nothing too major, but still something to prepare for.)

If Makoto tried hard enough, she could probably pin point the week in which this whole debacle started. It was probably late in June, in their fourth month of officially living in The Guild, when the assumption first brewed in the minds of their members and started spreading like wild fire. Honestly, as much as she would like to remember it being Ryuji who started the whole thing, it could have been anyone. All parties were interestingly enough on the same page back then.

 

 

Futaba and Akira recall what most do not: that the topic of their sex life was first brought up by Makoto herself during a movie night.

 

Life in the Guild changed a few things for everyone. Now, there was constantly someone doing something interesting and worthy of their attention. Spontaneous trips to Central Street were common place. There were frequent video game tournaments in The Den, which was what Ryuji and Futaba referred to their bedroom as. Akira hadn't argued so the decision was decided to be unanimous. (Akira had also been asleep, but no one mentioned that part.) The most scheduled events were family meal times and the Saturday night movie.

 

With seven different movie preferences, it became obvious that a rotation of movie selection privileges was required for this to work. They had installed a large white board on the wall, indicating such important things as who picked the movie that week as well as who was doing dishes (the most despised chore) and an open slot where any plans for outings could be formally announced. This particular week, Ann had chosen Leap Year. From Makoto's perception of the cover, it was your typical Rom Com. Still, that was perfectly fine. Two weeks ago, Yusuke had offered up A Dog's Purpose as their movie, which had brought every single person to tears and prompted Morgana to take a pilgrimage to tell all dogs in the neighborhood they were good boys. It seemed no one had yet to recover their full range of emotions, so sure, a Rom Com was fine.

 

By the climax of the movie, most people were asleep, including Akira and Futaba who were curled up on Makoto's lap and snuggled against her shoulder respectively. Ann and Ryuji, the only other two conscious beings by the time the credits rolled, looked over and cooed affectionately at the display.

 

"Hey, Mom, look. You're cuddling an entire relationship," Ryuji snickered.

 

Makoto giggled good heartedly. "So it seems. On the topic of our family designations, doesn't that make this," she gestured to the sleeping beauties, "kind of weird? The Dad of the family is dating the cute little sister?"

 

Ann stood to stretch, laughing. "Yeah it's pretty weird, but those are the most accurate family titles. I mean, when any of us have problems, we literally just wander the house until we find you or Akira. And you guys were the leader duo of the Phantom Thieves too. So yeah, you're our parents. And Futaba is...Futaba so she's our littlest sister."

 

"Literally and figuratively," Ryuji pointed out. 

 

Makoto smiled, stroking Akira's hair. Futaba snuggled in deeper to her shoulder and added groggily, "You forget that Akira is basically Sojiro's adopted son so he is also my brother."

 

"Oh my God, that's so true," Ann muttered. "He's Phantom Dad and Coffee Son."

 

Akira finally joined the conversation, flopped from his side to his back and yawning, "The family that stays together gets together. What is life without a little incest?"

 

Makoto rolled her eyes. "Well, I suppose the one silver lining is that you aren't blood relatives. Congratulations. Your children may not have horrific birth defects."

 

Ryuji burst out laughing, "May not?! Holy crap, Makoto."

 

Futaba finally sat up, wiping at her eyes. "Well, I'm kind of hoping we are all still least tangentially related because my line of the family is a curse to all daughters."

 

"What?!" Ann demanded, indignantly. "What's that mean, Futaba?"

 

The girl simply blinked and cupped on small breast in her hand pointedly. "As the one girl in this group without bombshell tits or a tabloid worthy butt, I feel justified in this assessment."

 

Akira made a very unhappy grumble from his spot, still not opening his eyes. Futaba smiled a bit and kissed his forehead. His frown remained present. 

 

Makoto shook her head in amusement, "I agree with the others on this one, Futaba. You're lovely just as you are. Besides, Akira seems to have no complaints about your body."

 

Akira's eyes shot open and met Futaba's. They passed a look of "whut" between them, that was drowned out completely by Ryuji's added, "Yeah! I mean, come on, Futaba. How many people could Akira have conceivably ended up with? He picked you over all of those "bombshell girls". Your sex appeal may not take the same form as Ann's, but it landed Akira freaking Kurusu in your bed, didn't it?"

 

"Wow Ryuji, way to make it seem like the only reason she should approve of her body is if a guy does," Ann scoffed, heading into the kitchen.

 

Makoto ushered Akira off her lap and patted Futaba's head before following Ann. "Good try Ryuji. We will work on it."

 

Ryuji grumbled, swiping his drink off the table and headed upstairs.

 

Akira and Futaba sat in the silence of the living room, listening to Yusuke and Haru's deep breathing. Akira was the first to speak up. "Do you think we should have said something?"

 

"Meh. I mean, it really isn't any of their business."

 

"I feel like they're making it their business anyway. And with inaccurate information at that."

 

Futaba stood, stepping between Akira's spread legs to wrap him in a hug. Her still tired boyfriend hummed happily, wrapping his arms tightly around the girl and nuzzling against her chest. "I don't see it being a big deal. It might even turn out being kinda funny if they think we're always sneaking away to bone at all hours of the day."

 

Akira laughed into her stomach. "You derive amusement from the strangest things." 

 

"Guilty as charged."

 

~~~

 

In truth, Futaba expected to never hear about the conversation post movie night ever again. Surely, everyone else had better things to talk about, right?

 

Evidently not.  The references to her private life started out rather timid and vague.  Ann complaining about guys who were taller than her and Makoto sweetly pointing out that she and Akira got along just fine.  It was cute and harmless and Futaba liked the feeling of being the referenced source material for "successful relationships".

 

Then, things got a bit weirder.

 

Haru and Ann had convinced Futaba to let them paint her nails.  She liked having her nails painted and liked being pampered even more so she agreed.  That's how she ended up with her hands on her thighs and her legs comfortably in Haru's lap.  The girls chatted on and off about various things, mostly Ann's modelling gigs, when suddenly, Ann turned on her.  "Hey, Futaba, I was wondering...ya know, Akira's a pretty tall guy.  How does he not like...crush you when you do it?"

 

Futaba.exe is not responding.

 

"Uhhh, what?"

 

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, I was just curious."

 

Haru shook her head, shooting Futaba an apologetic look.  The youngest girl struggled to keep up.  "I-I mean, it's not that big of a deal. He lays on me all the time. He's not that heavy." 

 

Ann beamed, feeding off the power of "girl talk" like it was a consumable resource.  "Yeah, I guess he is kind of a string bean.  Not the same way Yusuke is, but, you know what I mean."

 

Futaba really did not want to think about Inari and sex in the same sentence.

 

Uncaring of Futaba's lack of response, Ann carried on, "I guess I've just been thinking a lot about the physicality of it, ya know.  Porn makes it look so easy, but I just can't imagine sex with a super tall guy being comfortable.  Where would his legs go?  Where would your legs go?"

 

Haru huffed, putting the cap back on her bottle of nail polish.  For a moment, Futaba hoped that maybe Haru was going to spare her poor soul and end this strange conversation.

 

"You haven't been watching the right porn if you think missionary is the only way to do things, Ann-chan," Haru chirped pleasantly, before placing Futaba's feet carefully in her chair and strolling out of the bedroom.

 

She wasn't sure who was more shocked: her or Ann.

 

Luckily, that embarrassing endeavor ended there.  Akira had also been falling victim to gratuitous sex talk.  He pulled her aside one night before dinner.  "Can we please tell them they're misunderstanding the situation?  I feel like all I hear about anymore is other people's opinions of some made up version of my sex life.  It's making me pretty uncomfortable honestly."

 

Futaba felt for her poor boyfriend, but was still sort of having fun listening to the weird conversations that were prompted by this whole situation.  She laughed, "Oh come on, Akira, lighten up.  You're not embarrassed are you?"

 

Akira's gaze darkened a bit.  "Honestly, yeah."

 

With a scoff, she muttered petulantly, "Well I'm sorry I'm not who you want people to joke about you rolling around in the sheets with.  Geez."

 

The silence following her quip was heavy.  Futaba cautioned a look up at Akira to see him staring at her with an almost emotionless expression.  Uh oh.  Before she could say anything, he turned and walked down the hallway, up the stairs.  She heard his door close heavily and sighed.  She didn't see him again that night, but he responded to her to good night text.  So, he was mad, but not completely avoiding her mad.  She could work with that.  She vowed to try to make it up to him the next day.

 

~~~

 

When she got to the house the next afternoon, she had absolutely no plan for how to approach this conversation with Akira, only knew that it had to happen.  She had spent a good deal of the day trying to get the thoughts in her head to condense into words, to almost no success.  Nothing would help though, so Futaba planned to politely ask that Ryuji chill in the living room for an hour and hash it out with Akira.  That probably would absolutely not make the "our friends think we're having sex but we're not" issue worse, but she could only battle one thing at a time.

 

That was the plan anyway.  When she climbed the stairs, she was instantly spotted by Ann.

 

"Futaba! Hey! Can we talk real quick? I need your advice."

 

She sighed.  One quick diversion wouldn't derail her plan.  "Coming."

 

When she entered Ann's room, she honestly had no idea what to expect.  Ann loved to chat with her, but very rarely ever asked her for help unless it was about her laptop.

 

"Ok, so you know how I've been talking with this male model I did that shoot in July with?"  She nodded.  "Well, we've been flirting. A lot.  And it's been getting a little....intense. Anyway, he offered to send a pic and I figured, eh, why not, and...well, just look."

 

That...was certainly not a part of the male anatomy she planned to see today.

 

"He sent you a dick pic?"

 

Ann nodded, looking completely casual about the extremely explicit image on her phone.  "Yeah. He said I didn't have to send anything back, but now that I have this, I don't really know what I'm supposed to do with it.  It's sort of...weird to look at without the rest of the body to also look at, huh?"

 

She had to get the hell out of here.  Like now.

 

"Uh, I don't know.  I've never gotten a dick pic before, I guess."

 

Ann giggled, "Yeah, but you've see a dick though.  That's much more helpful.  So, reason I called you in here, in your opinion, how...sizable is this?"

 

Oh my god.  "Sizable?"  Could her face get any redder?

 

"Yeah, like...do you think it would hurt?  I mean, you could just compare it to Akira's I guess and tell me if that hurt."

 

Futaba squeezed her eyes shut.  Ok, no way.  Uh uh. Nope.  Akira was right, this was actually the worst.  "Ann, I don't really feel comfortable talking about that."

 

When she opened her eyes again, she was surprised to see Ann looking a bit, panicked.  Ann shook her head quickly, frowning.  "No, no, I'm sorry that was super untactful."  She was speaking pretty quickly.  Even for Ann.  "I...guess I'm just not sure what to do here."

 

The younger girl smiled to herself.  Ann was quirky and could sometimes be far too blunt, but she never meant to make her uncomfortable.  Still, Ann's behavior ever since she starting talking to his guy had been...a little bit off.  The level of boy crazy the blond had been recently was just a bit too drastic to be normal.  It almost felt fake.  Futaba's eyes widened a bit.  Maybe it was.  "Do you even like this guy, Ann?"

 

The blond blinked, bit her bottom lip and then shook her head. From the troubled look on her face, Futaba knew she had hit the nail on the head. "I mean, kinda?  He's cute.  But, we don't click super well."  Ann sighed, picking at her nails. "But, ya know, it's not like I have anyone else lined up. And he's not that bad. I could maybe start to like him...if I tried hard enough..."

 

Futaba frowned, tone stern.  "The Ann I know and love would never just try to make it work with a guy just for the sake of it."

 

Ann groaned and dug her palms into her eyes, "Ugh! I know! I'm just...ugh."  For a moment, Futaba was worried Ann would start crying.  She was not well equipped for that sort of comforting.  Eventually, though, Ann lowered her hands, looking more defeated than Futaba had ever seen before.  "I guess I just wanted something."

 

"Something like what?"

 

"I don't know," she whined, "Like what you and Akira have, I guess."  That one, Futaba did not expect.  She had been half viciously enjoying how envious everyone had seemed of her apparent experience on this matter.  Unsurprisingly, watching one of her bed friends actually acting out due to jealousy that she was making worse...didn't make her feel too great.

 

"Ann, no. You're wonderful, and gorgeous, and driven and a fantastic catch.  I'm honestly jealous of you.  How...effortless everything seems to you.  And even if you don't have everything all figured out, you sure look like you do, which is even more impressive."  She paused, holding Ann's hand.  "I'm not single, so I can't exactly relate to how you're feeling.  But, I do know that you're worth a hell of a lot more than settling for some guy, who is willing to send out dick pics rather than connecting with you like a normal person, just because he's pretty to look at."

 

Ann's smile started small but grew larger the more Futaba talked.  Finally, she decided, "Ya know what, you're right Futaba."  She stood, hands on her hips and a determined shine to her eyes. "Ann Takamaki settles for no one!"

 

"Here here," Futaba agreed, glad to see Ann back to her normal fiery self.  "Now if you don't mind..."

 

Ann blushed, "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry I dragged you in here just for this. Enjoy your evening with Akira!"

 

Futaba fled before any more innuendos or attempts at long emotional conversations could be made.

 

~~~

 

Futaba wandered down the hall in a daze. She loved her friends dearly, but sometimes they could be a little bit...exhausting. Also, she never wanted to think about another penis for as long as she lived.

 

Ok, well maybe not, but it would be at least a few hours. Maybe even days.

 

As she approached the end of the hall, she ran into Ryuji who was dressed in a ironed button down, nice jeans and holding his pillow and blanket. What?

 

"Going somewhere, Ryuji?"

 

The boy grinned at her.  "Hey Futaba!  Guess what?  No actually, you'll never guess.  Or just be mean about it.  Anyway, I got a date tonight!"

 

"Huh, really?  You look like you're headed to a business casual slumber party."

 

Ryuji puffed his chest out, "Nope, your sarcasm cannot hurt me now, Futaba!  I've just scored some expert advice so I may not be home until late."

 

Futaba's brow raised at the idea of "expert advice". So Akira had gotten grilled too, huh? Damnit. She'd be giving him back rubs and head scratches for weeks to make up for this mess...

 

"And you have your pillow with you because...?"

 

"Oh I'm gonna. Ya know. Give you guys some alone time. Sleep out on the pullout tonight. Figured it's the least I can do."

 

The girl groaned, "Ryuji."

 

"No no. I get it. Couples gotta do the do sometimes. If this date goes well, I'm gonna need to be kicking you guys out. It's all good. Equivalent exchange."  He snickered to himself.  "See what I did there?  That was totally an FMA reference."

 

Futaba blinked but let him run his mouth. She was far far too tired to argue at this point. What the ever living hell had she gotten herself into? Maybe she'd take advantage of Ryuji's generous offer. To hang herself quietly in the privacy of their quarantined "sex den". Geez.

 

"How kind of you. Alright. Well, gotta run. Lots of carnal relief to be had. See you later. Good luck on your date," she replied mechanically, shuffling to the room and shutting the door firmly behind her. She leaned back against it with a sigh.

 

When she finally opened her eyes, she spotted Akira wrapped in the large blue comforter, face down in the bean bag chair she insisted they buy for the room. She observed him idly for a few moments before sighing again and grumbling, "Ok. You were right. I was wrong. We should have told them right away. This kinda sucks."

 

Akira unburied his face from it's cloth tomb and looked up at her, looking utterly unamused and just as exhausted as she was.

 

"Oh, don't give me that face. You know I can't deal with that sort of emotional blackmail," Futaba groaned, slumping against the door a bit. Akira continued to stare at her, blinking occasionally. He didn't even seem mad at her. Or even annoyed or disappointed. Just tired. Her heart squeezed, unable to just leave him looking like that even despite her own crabbiness. "Oooh. Damnit! Alright. Fine, you win."

 

She threw herself down on the bean bag with him, assuming Akira's favorite position of her on her back, arms spread wide open, waiting to cuddle the hell of him. It took him a minute. At first, he only looked at her blankly from his blanket cocoon. But eventually, he huffed, untangling himself to flop down on top of her chest, face hiding in her neck. She took some time to tug at the blankets, arranging them to fit over her as well. Futaba arranged her legs so he was trapped between them and pressed her face into his hair. There. Finally comfortable.

 

They laid like that for awhile, one of her hands scratching at his scalp, the other buried under his shirt, running her nails softly up and down his back. By the amount of happy rumbling and sighing she was getting, she imagined he had forgiven her. Still, didn't mean they shouldn't talk about it. "I'm sorry, Akira. When you said you were uncomfortable with how much everyone was talking, I should have immediately corrected them. I wasn't thinking about you at all. All I cared about was what I was getting out of it. I'm an A tier jerk. And a trash tier girlfriend. And I'm really really sorry."

 

Akira huffed against her neck. "I wouldn't go that far." He planted a kiss on her pulse point, sending pleasant shivers through her. "What were you getting out of it, out of curiosity?"

 

Closing her eyes, Futaba grimaced. "In reality, nothing. But. I guess. In my mind, I thought I was being adult." Akira made an inquisitive noise, nudging her with his nose. It was such a feline thing to do, she made a mental note to buy him a black cat onesie for Christmas. Morgana would probably love it. "I don't know. It's like...hmm. You know how Ann and Ryuji call me the little sister? Well, suddenly, I was better at something than them. They wanted to be in my shoes for once, not the other way around."

 

"Futaba, you were already better at something than them. Than all of us. How many times a week does someone ask you to fix their computer or teach them how to use a program? You're a genius and the only tech savvy soul in this building."

 

"Not like that though," she mumbled. "Ok, fine, maybe it was more so Ann than Ryuji. Almost entirely Ann actually. And Makoto." Futaba sighed, biting her lip. "I guess the whole thing about the other girls being more...womanly than me wasn't just a joke. I'm only a year younger than Ann and look at the difference between us. She's literally a super model and I'm...just me."

 

Akira adjusted his weight, trying to get his arms underneath him and push himself up. Futaba tugged him back down her chest. She needed to say this and knew the moment their eyes met, her train of thought would be derailed. Once he stilled once more, she continued.

 

"It's not just physical looks either though. It's. Ugh. Ann is so confident in herself. And maybe it's because she looks the way she does, but part of me feels like if we traded bodies right now, she'd still have this aura of utter sexiness and I'd still be a wreck. I know you're the one who suggested we go slow. You've said multiple times you're content with just kissing. But. I guess I wonder if that's really true. It's been almost two years after all. And I've...felt you get excited while making out but you never push me. Which is so sweet, but..."

 

Futaba paused, drawing in a breath, then releasing it slowly.  "I know you want to go further. I'm worried that you're holding back for my sake and not enjoying it as much as you could. And as much as I wish it weren't necessary that you hold back...it is. I do get overwhelmed easily and that frustrates me. Because if I were Ann or Makoto or Haru, I probably wouldn't have any trouble jumping your bones and not feeling like...I was about to explode even thinking about it. And I guess I just feel like...you deserve someone you don't have to hold back with."

 

She stopped and listened to the combined sounds of their breathing. Akira's was a bit faster than normal. She knew he was probably clenching his fists a bit. Maybe she had made him mad. But, she thought, looking at the ceiling as if it contained the answer to the meaning of life, she wasn't unsatisfied with how the words have come out. She wasn't sure exactly what outcome she wanted. What did she want him to reply? Her breath hitched in her throat at the idea of Akira actually agreeing with her. Eyes squeezed shut, she tried to convince herself that would be ok.

 

It wouldn't be, though.

 

"Are you finished?"

 

Sweet boy, always careful not to overstep his bounds. Even now. Futaba loosened her hold on him. "Yeah."

 

Akira sat up and scooted backwards a bit. His eyes were trained on the his crossed legs, a dark gleam to them that she simply couldn't decipher. The distance he was putting between them, in both the physical and emotional sense, made her heart constrict painfully. She was not the biggest fan of having these tense, seemingly life or death type conversations.  But, despite the obvious discomfort of having to drag all their shadows into the light and look them in the eyes, they had never had a rough heart to heart of his nature that didn't immediately and thoroughly clear up misunderstandings and provide plans of attack for the future.  They were good at this, she and Akira.  They were on the same team, she reminded herself.  Oracle and Joker.  If she just honestly conveyed her thoughts and trusted in him, everything would be fine.

 

Didn't mean it wasn't nerve-wracking though.

 

She mirrored the boy's stance, maintaining the distance he had purposefully created.  As soon as she was settled, Akira let out a loud sigh.  "Does what I want not matter at all in this situation?"  Futaba stayed quiet.  The unspoken rule between them was that if the other wasn't meeting your eyes, they were still thinking.  Akira pointed watched his fingers fidget with the hem of his pants.  She would wait.

 

"People use the word 'deserve' a lot. 'You deserve better' or 'I don't deserve him'.  As if the only things worth having in life are that which we are somehow derived to deserve.  Never mind how subjective the idea of deserving something is, but if everyone got what they deserved...well, Shido and Kamoshida would never have even met me, in all likelihood."  Akira shook his head, clenching and unclenching his fists. "My father is no sage, but he has taught me a couple interesting things. One of them was that the word 'deserve' is usually never directed at the right person. It usually reflects the speaker's own desires.  I don't think that's always true." Akira spared a glance up at Futaba, eyes roaming over her face before flickering back to his lap.  "But I definitely think it is true in this case."

 

Both hands came up to run through his hair roughly.  His bottom lip was caught between his teeth, his gray eyes stormy in appearance.  Whatever idea he had rolling around in his head spun and spun, until he finally lowered his hands again.  "Whether I want to go further is irrelevant.  This wouldn't be bothering you if you weren't discontent yourself." Akira clicked his tongue against his teeth, "When we first tried getting you acclimated to being outside of the house, I pushed you.  We threw you into different social environments head first and expected you to swim or me to save you.  We very well could try that here too, but..."  Akira wrung his wrists in agitation, frowning.  "This is so different though.  This isn't just coaxing you out a room that you thought of a prison.  This is more like...trying to coax you out of the assessment of your body as a prison."

 

Futaba inhaled sharply. Akira's eyes flew to meet her own but she closed them defensively.  She remembered with striking vividness what being a prisoner of her own heart felt like.  The constant desperation, echoing self hatred.  No, this wasn't quite like that.  This type of discontentment settled in her stomach, akin to the feeling she got before the panic when she first got separated from Akira in Akiba.  She opened her eyes again, and saw that Akira had placed his hand next to hers, palm up.  An invitation.  She met his anxious eyes, smiled just a bit, just enough to show she was ok.  "It's not a prison," she corrected, tone soft, almost a whisper.  "It's more like...an unfamiliar place. It's...my body, but I don't feel like...I completely own it.  It's like a stranger sometimes."  She grimaced, shook her head, met his eyes.  She needed help.

 

Akira wet his lips and offered, "So a bit like a new house, maybe?  Your name is on the sign out front and the lease, but the inside doesn't quite look like home yet.  Is that it?"

 

Futaba ruminated over the analogy for a bit, tried to picture it.  Her time as a shut in meant she ignored her body, in multiple ways.  Didn't eat always.  Slept too little or too much, no in between.  The loathing and self hatred made emotions like arousal and lust just as useless to her as happiness and hope were.  The most time she ever spent naked was in the shower, which she admitted to herself she didn't do often enough.  She supposed, in many ways, it was a lot like a new house.  She hadn't spent time in it, didn't try to decorate or make it hers.  Yet, was shocked or upset when it felt alien to her.

 

...And if she didn't even feel content in this house, why would she feel comfortable inviting guests over...?

 

She nodded, slowly at first, then more firmly.  Akira's eyes lit up a bit, pleased.  "Yeah, that's exactly it.  I'm not completely comfortable looking at my own body naked yet, so it kinda makes sense that I'm jittery about letting someone else see."  She sighed a bit, slipping her hand in Akira's outstretched one.  She liked the way their fingers slid together, nice and snug.  In a weird tangential way, that was what she really wanted out of physical companionship.  Feeling a secure connection.  Being close for the sake of closeness.  As close as two people could possibly get.  Futaba met Akira's eyes once more.  "I want to be with you.  Closer than anyone else.  I want to touch you and make you feel good and not be scared for you to return the favor.  I just...I want you."  A bright red blush spread across Akira's cheeks, bringing a smile to her equally red face.  Her mood dampened a bit as she admitted, "I want that so much, but...I don't know how to get there."

 

Akira squeezed her hand and declared, "I do."  Futaba's eyes widened.  "Same way we got you used to being out in the world again.  You just need to get used to it.  Much slower this time, probably, but same basic process.  We can give you assignments to get you more comfortable being naked or being touched.  Work our way up to whatever end point you want to reach."

 

Futaba's smile was soft, but excited.  "Another promise list?"

 

"Exactly.  We'll go at your pace.  You write out the steps you want to take, and we can get there however or whenever we please."

 

Her optimism made her bold. The smile slowly spread to a smirk.  With mischief in her eyes, Futaba leaned in right next to Akira's ear and purred, "And if my end goal happens to be 'fuck Akira Kurusu absolutely senseless'?"

 

Futaba felt the body underneath hers shudder, a hand coming up to hug her close to him.  His voice was a bit raspy, "Well, first I would ponder where on Earth you got so disillusioned as to think you're not the sexiest woman living in this house." He planted a firm kiss on Futaba's cheek, and nudged her gently back a bit to look into her eyes.  "And second I would say that Akira Kurusu must be a pretty lucky guy."

 

Futaba snorted in amusement, obviously blushing, "Stop fibbing, you nerd.  Didn't we just agree my body is like an ugly house or something?"

 

"Hey, don't insult that house.  I happen to like it a lot and would be honored to become intimately acquainted with it, should to invitation arise," his hands rose up to cup her face, pressing kiss after kiss to her hairline, soaking in the sound of her happy giggles.  Akira pressed their foreheads together and waited until Futaba met his eyes before whispering, "I love you, Futaba."

 

"I love you too, Akira.  I don't know what I did to deserve you."

 

"Would you like the mystical Chinese fortune cookie answer or the dry simple answer?"

 

She giggled, "The latter, please, sir."

 

"It doesn't matter what you did or didn't do.  I wanted to be with you and you apparently want to be with me, so we are together.  Now, no more of this deserving or undeserving bullshit please?"

 

"Deal," Futaba nodded.

 

They decided that it was late enough that getting home might be a stretch for Futaba, even if she left immediately.  She anticipated that Sojiro would be livid with her, but as soon as he answered the phone, he immediately barked, "Just stay at their house tonight, Futaba. I'd rather begrudgingly trust Akira not to do anything stupid than risk you missing your connecting train in Shibuya and getting stuck out there."

 

Futaba smiled, "Alright. Thanks, dad."

 

Sojiro sputtered, as he always did when she threw down the Dad Card unexpectedly.  "Well, just...," he sighed, "Just make sure you get to school on time alright? And you can thank me by having dinner at the Cafe tomorrow with your poor dad.  Both of you."

 

"Okie dokie, artichokey."

 

"Alright.  Good night, Futaba."

 

"Nighty night, Sojiro."

 

Akira was dressed for sleep, sprawled out on his bed like a content cat.  She giggled to herself.  The resemblance between their wonderful Trickster and dear old feline guide was sometimes uncanny.  The usual post important conversation exhaustion hit her immediately.  She knew she was free to use Ryuji's bed, or even ask Akira to take Ryuji's bed, if she so chose, but they did just decide to start pushing her comfort zones again...

 

"Hey, Akira," she got a hum in response. "Can my first promise list item be to sleep in your bed with you?"  Akira smiled sleepily at her, patting the bed and waggling his eyebrows.  She grinned.  "And would I be able to borrow a shirt to sleep in tonight?"

 

"Only a shirt? Damn, girl. You'll be jumping my bones in no time."

 

Just to spite him, she did indeed jump into bed without pants, relishing his surprised squawk when his hand landed on her bare thigh.  It took her awhile to fall asleep, but Akira was warm and she fit quite nicely tucked against his side, one leg thrown over his hips and head pillowed on his chest.  The gentle up and down motion of his breathing was soothing and when she did finally drop off to sleep, it was the deepest and most comfortable rest she ever remembered having.

 

~~~

 

She woke up on her own, about twenty minutes before her alarm was due to ring, based on the LED clock on the bedside table.  She had obviously done some tossing and turning at some point because her face was squished against the mattress, which she found to be sopping wet.  The culprit was likely the trail of drool dried on her cheek.  Gross.  Futaba shifted her body, trying to account for all of her limbs.  As she became more aware, she realized there was an arm trapped beneath her rib cage and a hairy leg shoved snugly between her thighs.  When she turned her head to look at her bed-mate, she very nearly burst out laughing.  Akira's face was perhaps the most calm and adorable she'd ever seen it.  She'd seen Akira sleep before, but this was the deep, lost to the world type of sleep.  Long eyelashes and gorgeous relaxed facial features.  He really was one of the most attractive men she'd ever had the pleasure to meet.

 

The large amount of her hair trapped in his mouth sort of detracted from the angelic image though.

 

Trying hard not to laugh, she slowly pulled her hair, watching with gross fascination as Akira attempted to chew it as it slide by.  Like a freaking cow.  She pressed her face back into the bed, body shaking with her mirth.  Falling asleep with another person was a bit difficult, but soothing.  Waking up with another person was actually pretty disgusting and slightly uncomfortable.

 

She loved it.

 

The arm under her suddenly curled around her and jerked her against Akira's incredibly warm body.  She squirmed for a minute, giggling.  The sleeping beauty crackled one gray eye open and slurred, "Wh's so funny?" which caused her to laugh even harder.

 

"You uh, probably don't need breakfast I guess.  Your stomach must be pretty full from all the hair you were munching on."

 

Akira hummed.  "Your hair?"

 

"Who else's hair could you eat?"

 

"It wouldn't be the first time Morgana's tail ended up in my mouth."

 

"Oh my god, that's soo gross."

 

Akira simply hummed again.

 

Her alarm going off was what finally pushed them out of bed.  When they got downstairs, Ryuji and Ann both had large grins on their faces, no doubt overly invested in the fact that Futaba had spent the night. Makoto was quietly sipping coffee and petting Morgana, who looked to be half asleep.  Haru was long gone, headed to her morning shift at LeBlanc.  Yusuke was buttering toast in the kitchen, but not so subtly throwing glances their way every now and then.  What a bunch of idiots, she thought.  Akira looked like he was going to say something, but Futaba put a hand on his arm.  She started this mess.  She would end it too.

 

Akira didn't argue, instead went to heat her up some curry, portioning out the rest in a container for her lunch.  As she waited, Ryuji and Ann kept giving her looks.  Fine, if they didn't want to make the first move, she would.

 

"How'd your date go, Ryuji?"

 

Ryuji blinked, then grinned at the invitation to blab about his evening.  Idly, Futaba noticed that Ann's grin visibly dimmed at the mention, but she promptly filed this information away under the category 'things to absolutely not butt her nose into' along with following up on their...enlightening conversation from last night.  "It was fantastic!  We really hit it off.  I don't know what it was about Akira's advice, but no matter what I said to her, she was eating out of my hands.  We've got a second date coming up soon."

 

Makoto smiled, "That's wonderful, Ryuji.  Glad it worked out."

 

Ryuji nodded, chest puffed out proudly.  "Yep!  Man, who would have thought my best friend getting some would benefit me?  Like this weird spiritual wing man thing."

 

"Well," Futaba started, getting right to the point, "I'm happy the advice helped, but you do know that the only 'some' Akira has gotten has been a pretty stellar amount of making out, cuddling and long heart felt conversations, right? Well...at least from me."

 

The room was quiet for a moment before Ann and Ryuji both muttered, "huh?"

 

Akira chuckled, placing a plate of curry and rice in front of Futaba before sitting down himself.  "It's true. We never indicated that we were in a sexual relationship.  That was something you all suspected all on your own."

 

Makoto squinted at the pair, "You never denied it either."

 

"Yeah, you're right," Futaba acknowledged around a mouthful of rice.  "That was mostly my fault.  Didn't see a reason to correct you because I didn't think it would be much of a conversation topic.  That was until...well, it was the only conversation topic."

 

Morgana stretched and launched himself into Akira's lap, nuzzling his best friend in greeting.  "I'm surprised none of you dumb asses thought to ask me.  Not only do I often sleep in that room, but I'm the one with heightened smell and hearing.  If anything were going on, I would have probably known about it."

 

Ann smiled awkwardly, "I think the real issue is that we just didn't ask anyone. We all just rolled with the assumption.  I'm sorry, you guys."

 

The other guilty parties murmured apologies as well.  Silence fell over the group once again, everyone sitting there awkwardly and not looking at each other. It was surprisingly Yusuke who chimed in, "Damn. I was so hoping that you'd agree to model for me.  I'm close to perfecting the artistic portrayal of lust, I just need about an hour of reference material."

 

Various screams of indignation and laughter broke out and just like that, the weird tense atmosphere was shattered.  Their morning moved along as normal then.  They all rode the train to Shibuya, Futaba still muttering to herself about "that pervy Inari."  As empties out into the underground walkway, Ann timidly pulled her aside.  She motioned to Akira to wait and went with Ann to a slightly secluded corner.

 

"Futaba, I am so so sorry about last night.  And how obnoxious I've been in general. I can't even imagine the sort of pressure all that talk must have been putting on you. I promise that I at least will try my best not to let something like that happen again."

 

Futaba shook her head, amused.  "It's fine, Ann.  I could have said something at any time.  You couldn't have known."  She gave a weak laugh and joked, "And see?  Not so much to be jealous of between Akira and I, now is there?"

 

Ann blinked at her, stunned.  "No, Futaba.  If anything, I'm more jealous.  Our whole society thinks of sex as the pinnacle of development in a relationship.  It's like some weird milestone people rush off to reach and let control their whole relationship.  You guys have gone two years just enjoying each other's company and going against the flow."  She grinned, rubbing her neck awkwardly, "That's the sort of dynamic I'm going to strive for now."

 

Futaba felt pride bloom in her gut, pride for her relationship that relied on healthy conversations and pride in her partner, who constantly pushed her to be the best version of herself she could be.  "Thanks, Ann."

 

When she met back up with Akira, Ryuji and he were having one of their bro hugs.  Maybe even Ryuji could have important heart to hearts when the need arose. She sidled up to her boyfriend's side and tilted her head curiously.  Akira merely smiled and flicker her forehead playfully.  When they all went their separate ways, Futaba assured Akira that she'd just meet him at LeBlanc for dinner after school let out.  

 

Speaking of school, she had to seriously haul ass to make it on time.  She felt like her lungs were about to pop as she sprinted up the stairs and burst into her classroom just before the final bell rang.  She very narrowly restrained herself from fist pumping in joy and made her way to her seat so the teacher could start.

 

Everything was back to normal.  The group chat was filled with senseless garble, mostly courtesy of Ryuji.  (She certainly helped though.)  Classes were as boring as ever and the window was just as lovely to distract herself with.  At lunch, her friends were discussing the idea of living in the dormitories at college.  "Can you imagine living with like all of your friends though?  I can't tell if that would be amazing or absolutely terrible!"

 

A smile crept over her lips at the thought.  So far, living with the Phantom Thieves was hectic.  Everyone shoved their noses into everyone else's business, there were more weird quirks to get used to and deal with than ever before in her life, and everyone had their own issues that all slammed into each other when they got home.  But for all of that mess, Futaba knew there was only one thing she could say on this topic.

 

"I think it sounds like the best thing ever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends,
> 
> I'm sorry this is a bit rough. I had this chapter written to almost completion at 5 pm EST and then my phone closed the app I was using and I lost almost half of it. RIP me. I hope the quality hasn't suffered too much for it, but I apologize if it has.
> 
> This chapter dealt with a lot of topics that aren't exactly comfortable. Body issues and sexuality are no joke. I tried to handle these topics as accurately and gently as I could, but they really are important things so I didn't want to shy away from them. Honestly, the only way I can see Akira and Futaba having a physically intimate relationship at all is after Futaba gets a bit more comfortable with her body and the idea of sexuality in general. I'm planning to make a separate fic detailing the journey they take towards completing this "sexy timez promise list", but I assure you I have no interest in plotless smut for this couple. The promise list would probably consist of things like "walking around the room shirtless" or "looking at myself naked in the mirror and not freaking out" way more often than actually sexual stuff. Still, may not be some people's cup of tea, which I heartily acknowledge.
> 
> Finally, in reference to the Ann and Ryuji situation, yeah this is ideally going to be a plot point. My next chapter for this may focus on that or the other major couple I wanted to explore. Haven't decided yet.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed it! As always please leave me your thoughts/critiques/feelings in the comments. Reading and replying to them is probably my favorite thing and definitely why I didn't stop writing after Trading Hearts.


	3. Crushed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "When you first moved here, did you have a crush on Ryuji?"
> 
> A tale of a crushes past and present, and understanding how having feelings for someone, platonic or romantic, could somehow leave you feeling...crushed.
> 
> Based off a conversation between Futaba and Akira in chapter 1 of (Makin') Baby Steps. Can be read alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, I lied a bit. I needed to write this or I would absolutely have regretted it. Enjoy~

"When you first moved here, did you have a crush on Ryuji?"

 

Akira supposed there were worse people to discover his long forgotten crush than Futaba. What she lacked in subtlety and tact, she more than made up for with sworn secrecy, trust and a protective instinct rivaling even Makoto's. His hesitance to answer wasn't really based on embarrassment or even fear that Ryuji would find out. More so, Akira had mostly managed to forget about it himself, so digging those emotions back up again was a weird feeling. 

 

He was used to burying crushes in the sand. Junior high had been a slew of crushing on people he couldn't have (sometimes didn't even really want to have) and then repressing those crushes. It didn't fully surprise him that his serial infatuation issue was apparent even here in Tokyo. But, in Kyoto those crushes were always doomed. Akira learned to give up on them as soon as they formed, even when they yielding make out sessions. The people he met there, the bonds he did form, were brittle links that shattered upon any contact or distance. Fickle. After being labelled a criminal and thrown into an environment with so many marks already against him, it wasn't outrageous to assume he would find more of the same in Tokyo.

 

Except he didn't.

 

"I have to ask though, what did you see in that boy?"

 

 The answer was... complicated. Ryuji hadn't necessarily been the type of guy Akira always shot for in the past, but Akira also wasn't blind. Ryuji was handsome, a mix of delinquent and scarily loyal that one usually found in dogs, not people. That wasn't why Akira liked him though. The best way to describe his emotions towards Ryuji in those late spring-early summer months was... coincidental. Ryuji hadn't just been a stranger willing to get to know the boy behind the criminal record rumors. He hadn't just been an honest voice of reason to cry out for justice, a force that inspired even Akira to take up arms for his beliefs. Ryuji was the first, and for a while the only, person to extend that olive branch and truly mean it. He was the first non-fickle friendship Akira had had his entire life.

 

To him, that meant something.

 

So the months Akira spent being dragged around by the enthusiastic blond to every food place in town, being the sole confidant of Ryuji's deepest secrets and hopes, being a person Ryuji would jump to defend no matter what the danger was, were unbelievably strange and new. Akira had seen the whole ordeal coming, but when someone threw phrases like "my place is here with you" around, how could anyone not feel like they were just a bit more special than they actually were?

 

"I'm only human, Futaba."

 

~~~

 

_"Ya know, Akira, I gotta tell ya. A year ago I would have never seen an attic above a coffee store being the place I felt most at home at."_

 

Ryuji always had this weird way of building up Akira's hopes.

 

_"Is it the attic or am I just special?"_

 

_"Well obviously you're special, dude, you're my best friend!"_

 

And then breaking them down a sentence later.

 

It must have been a deeply engrained thing.

 

_"I kept telling those creepy guys I ain't like that!"_

 

This behavior seemed almost out of fear. Like, letting anyone believe his feelings for another man weren't entirely platonic would injure him.

 

_"Oh man, we must look like such losers. Three guys in a dating spot with no chicks around? Talk about pathetic."_

 

Maybe if Akira could just show him there was nothing to fear. Maybe if he just learned to let go of his ego for just a second, the good thing between them could manifest into the great thing it had the potential to be. Maybe...

 

_"The track team just ain't my place anymore."_

 

_"And where is that place?"_

 

_"Wherever you are I guess. And there's a place for you here too."_

 

Maybe...they could...

 

_"Come on you guys. We need to steal the hearts of some ladies."_

 

_"Those damn freaks again! I think we finally lost em."_

 

If only...

 

_"Dude what are you gonna say?"_

 

_"I love Ryuji Sakamoto."_

 

_"Are you stupid?!"_

 

....

 

_"I can't have that label on me. I wouldn't be able to come back here tomorrow!"_

 

...

 

_"Look Futaba, if you're ever in trouble just call Akira."_

 

_"Ok...hey, I feel kinda calm when we're this close. You're ok being like this...right?"_

 

I...I...

 

_"Can you pat my head?"_

 

...is it even worth fixing?

 

_"My last promise is being ok without you around...do you mind if we skip that last one?"_

 

_"Life doesn't feel the same without you."_

 

_"It feels like my whole world is expanding!"_

 

No, never mind. It doesn't matter anymore.

 

~~~

For the last few weeks, there had been a pair of eyes following him around LeBlanc. It was late October, just starting to get cold. The Guild members found themselves getting busier as the months rolled by. Makoto was so focused on studying that she rarely appeared anywhere that wasn't school, the library or the Guild. Yusuke had been locked in his room under the guise of a "visit from the muse" for about a week, only eating due to Morgana and Ann's meddling. Even Sae-san became a stranger to her once frequent after work haunt. LeBlanc had been getting a decent amount of business to escape the weather, but oddly enough, their regulars were not among the patrons.

 

That's probably why Akira noticed him at all.

 

The booth closest to the door had been inhabited by a singular businessman almost every night for around two weeks now. He wasn't soliciting; he ate his fair share of curry and drank at least three tall cups of coffee before heading back out into the chilly backstreets. Akira had been overjoyed by his repeated presence and had done everything he could to make sure the guy was content. After all, Sojiro's first rule was "never let go of the regulars", so it only made sense that this particular gentleman had earned a bit more of Akira's attention than the rest.

 

Now, though, Akira was starting to entertain the thought that his new guest wasn't only interested in the curry and coffee.

 

The weight of the man's eyes on Akira's back was hard to miss. Strangely though it wasn't discomforting. If Akira were honest with himself, it felt a lot like the looks Mishima used to throw him. The silent beg for attention mixed with admiration, and in this case maybe some sexual tension. Akira had been surprised when the man had first flirted with him. Nothing major. Just compliments obviously aimed towards Akira and not his food. It was pretty cute if nothing else. The same carefree habits continued for awhile: the man would sit down with his laptop, Akira would bring him some coffee with a sweet smile, inquire about the man's day. If it had been a good one, he shared stories of office drama and hellish clients until Akira was summoned by another guest. If the day had worn on the young man, Akira would accidentally fail to charge him for the super creamy latte he always brought over. 

 

The man had never once made a move, never asked for Akira's name, number or offered his own information. Haru and Akira had agreed that if that ever changed Akira would have no choice but to gently correct him. But until then, it was nice to be the center of someone's attention. And, as far as Akira was concerned, relatively harmless.

 

Ryuji, who was visiting after his classes today, was not of the same opinion. 

 

"Hey, Akira."

 

He hummed, acknowledging that he had heard his best friend without taking his eyes away from the pot of curry he was slaving over.

 

"There's a guy staring at you."

 

Haru, who was making coffee behind Akira, giggled. "There sure is. He's one of our new regulars. Came for the food, stayed for the chef, so it seems."

 

Akira smiled to himself, shushing Haru playfully. "He's a valued customer and a very sweet guy. He tips well too so he can look at whatever he pleases."

 

Ryuji grumbled a bit, obviously about to protest when a soft voice interrupted him. "Um...excuse me."

 

Akira turned to see their topic of conversation standing just to the side of Ryuji at the bar. He brought with him only a sheepish smile and a deep blush. Akira beamed, "Hey. Was I too slow with your refill? Sorry about that. As soon as I'm done with the curry I'll bring the plate and the cup right to you."

 

"A-actually, I...um."  The man swallowed, biting his bottom lip. Akira pretended not to notice Ryuji's glare deepening. "I was actually wondering if you'd have a minute to join me. Cafe doesn't seem so crowded today. I... understand if you can't though."

 

Ah. Here it was. The confession had been stewing in the corner for some time now, Akira imagined. And just as sweet and unoffending as he had pictured it would be. The man in front of him was too nice to shoot down without at least having the decency to hear him out. And apologize for leading him on in any way. He'd have to be careful, though, if he wanted the gentleman to keep coming around.

 

Of course the delicacy of the situation was lost on Ryuji.

 

"Akira ain't like that, asshole! Back off."

 

The volume of all conversation in LeBlanc faded out considerably. It seems like the attention of every one in the store was on them, exactly the opposite of how Akira wanted this to go. Haru must have sensed his distress because she hurriedly started up a conversation with the elder couple nearest the TV. She really was an angel, that Haru.

 

"Excuse me?" The man had the self confidence at least to look offended rather than attacked. That was a relief at least. 

 

"You heard me. My buddy here ain't interested in-"

 

"Ryuji."

 

His tone had been curt, sharp. No room for misunderstanding. This conversation between them was over. Now.

 

"If you're planning to stay for the curry, then kindly sit down and shut your mouth. If not, perhaps you'd like to leave. Either way, stop causing a scene."

 

The hurt coming from Ryuji's eyes was tangible. Akira knew this was a sore spot. Ryuji's fierce loyalty made him want to protect his friends from anything and everything. It came from a good place, Akira knew. But still, the dent to Ryuji's ego was worth teaching him a lesson about projecting his feelings onto others. And Akira would never forgive himself if someone were openly humiliated for being as brave as the young businessman was being today.

 

Nothing more had to be said before Ryuji was up and put the door, leaving his soda unpaid for. Akira sighed, turning his attention back to the gentleman, managing a smile. "I'm so sorry about that. I would love to sit and chat with you for a bit. Though, I never caught your name."

 

The man smiled, visibly phased but not defeated. "You can call me Teruki."

 

"A pleasure Teruki. I'm Akira. Haru, do you mind watching things for a bit?"

 

"Of course! Enjoy your talk!"

 

Akira had been worried that it would be difficult to navigate this conversation, but Teruki made it damn easy actually.

 

"I know you're not interested, but I still think you should know. I think you're absolutely stunning, Akira-kun. If you were available, I'd ask you out in a heartbeat...but your friend heavily implied that that isn't the case."

 

Brushing a hand through his hair, Akira nodded. "I'm in a relationship actually. It'll be two years in November."

 

"Wow. That's...amazing. I'm happy for you." He looked happy too, genuinely. It was heartwarming...and slightly sad. Where were guys like this back in Junior High?

 

"Thank you. But, I do want to be clear: you're very charming yourself. If I were single, I'd gladly take you up on your offer. I especially admire how brave you were to ask me at work and in front of people who might judge you for it. I... honestly envy that about you."

 

Teruki laughed, hands fiddling with each other. It was the only indicator Akira had that he was nervous at all. "I appreciate it. If you don't mind, Akira-kun, I'd like to keep coming to LeBlanc. It's a wonderful Cafe and you and your co-workers are all incredibly kind."

 

Akira beamed at him, placing a hand atop Teruki's folded ones. "Absolutely. I'd hate to lose out on such a fantastic conversationalist over such a thing! You're welcome here any time."

 

They sat and talked for a time after that, about less important matters. Akira lost himself in the ease of joking and mutually sighing over the struggles of loving men in such a homophobic country as Japan. It was nice.

 

So nice that when Ryuji didn't come back to the Guild that evening, he didn't let it bother him. He and Ryuji would work things out on their own and he didn't regret his choice. Akira only hoped that no irreparable damage had been done.

 

~~~

 

It couldn't have been more than a few hours after he'd gone to bed that night, the second without Ryuji coming back, when he heard the bedroom door open. Blinking hard, he squinted into the dimly lit room to spy Ryuji standing in the doorway. Their eyes met, neither speaking for a time before they both muttered, "Hey."

 

Akira expected Ryuji to go to sleep, for them to attempt to work things out in the morning. But, instead of heading towards his own bed, the blond plopped down on Akira's instead. Ryuji sighed deeply, handing wringing each other. Now understanding Ryuji's desire to deal with his now rather than later, Akira sat up, waiting for his companion to speak.

 

It took awhile, but there long suffering sighs later, Ryuji finally spat out, "You, uh...never told me you were into dudes."

 

Akira's brow raised at the meek but also accusing tone. "Wasn't aware that I had to."

 

Ryuji flinched visibly, shaking his head. "You...you didn't...but I. I don't know, I just." He sighed again. "I wish you would have told me."

 

Trust was always an important thing to Ryuji. That much, Akira understood. But, he refused to yield to that mindset even knowing that. "There are plenty of things we haven't told each other. You pursuing Ann for example." Ryuji met his eyes, frowning but didn't speak. "You're one of my best friends in the world, Ryuji, but you can't expect to know every little thing about me. And I don't appreciate being blamed for not informing you. That doesn't excuse how you acted." Akira huffed, speaking a bit quicker than he would have liked. "Besides with a reaction like that, can you really blame me for never bringing it up?"

 

Ryuji's next breath was shuddering, sounded a bit painful. Akira squeezed his eyes shut in self-reprimand. No matter how many times the thought had crossed his mind, Akira usually knew better not to bring up the...scars Ryuji bore. He knew now, despite Ryuji never admitting to it openly, that this was just another thing caused by his father's negligence. He had beaten many ideas into Ryuji's head. In his father's eyes, men couldn't even cry. Why the hell would anyone expect that Ryuji wouldn't have a skewed opinion of homosexuality?

 

Akira hated the following silence. He knew that while that view was bad, Ryuji himself couldn't exactly be blamed for how hard it was to change said view. He was just about to apologize when Ryuji murmured, "You're right." They sat in silence for another moment before he continued, "I've acted like a total ass about this whole thing. I noticed you never laughed or played along when I got pissed about being flirted with by guys but I never connected the dots. Maybe...I didn't want to?" Ryuji sighed, turning to face him. "You really like dudes?"

 

Akira nodded.

 

Ryuji bit his bottom lip, looking almost pained. "Did...did you...like me...ever?"

 

Breath hitching, Akira paused, but eventually nodded again.

 

Ryuji's eyes slammed shut, face crumpling. Akira had expected this, of course. It would be really hard to just suddenly erase a childhood's worth of abusive thoughts from someone's head. It was probably going to be really awkward and maybe painful, but Akira was willing to fight through fixing this if Ryuji was. He was about to explain that he no longer had that crush. That it wasn't anything to worry about, that Akira would forgive Ryuji being a dick about it if Ryuji promised to work on it.

 

He didn't expect Ryuji to meet his eyes again, tears glistening in the poor lighting. He didn't expect his best friend to take his hand, trembling.

 

"Akira...did...did I hurt you?"

 

He didn't expect that.

 

"Ryuji..."

 

The blond shook his head, bottom lip and voice quivering. "Please just tell me. Christ, I've been thinking about this since yesterday. Ya know...there were times when...it felt like you were flirting with me. Or sometimes I'd say things and you would look like I made your day, but others like I'd kicked your new puppy." Ryuji sniffled, wiping at his eyes with his free hand. "I never even imagined what that could mean. It never really crossed my mind. If it had, I wouldn't...wouldn't have..." He huffed, but it sounded a lot like a sob. "Just tell me ok? Did I fucking hurt you, Akira?"

 

Akira's heart shattered just a bit when he murmured, "Only a little."

 

Ryuji didn't bother trying to hide the sobs then. They wracked his body, which curled in on itself. It was hard to understand him through it but Akira could at least understand the repeated "I'm so sorry". At a loss for what to do, Akira wrapped his arms around Ryuji. He sat there for a bit, just letting Ryuji calm down. When the blond boy was a bit more composed, he reciprocated the hug fiercely. "I'm sorry, Akira. I never meant to."

 

"I know, Ryuji. I know."

 

"No, you're just...god, you're my best friend in the whole world. I would never do something that would knowingly hurt you, ya know? But this...I just...I couldn't..."

 

Akira drew back, smiling tiredly. "No. No excuses. You don't feel that way for me. I knew that. It's why I never tried to pursue it really. And now, none of that matters anymore. I'm perfectly happy with how things are. Yeah?"

 

"Y-yeah."

 

"Great. If you want, we can talk all about this tomorrow. But I'm not mad at you. And I'm not hurt anymore. We're good. Ok?"

 

Ryuji rubbed at his eyes, smiling a bit. "Yeah, ok."

 

There were still some things left to resolve.  Ryuji definitely had some shit to work through with himself.  But, for that evening at least, Akira was satisfied.

 

~~~

 

The next morning found Akira sitting at the bar in LeBlanc with Futaba enjoying a cup of coffee and a pancake before the morning rush came pouring in.  Haru offered to take care of the few customers that came in at opening, allowing Sojiro to sleep in.  It was the type of tranquil morning Akira hadn't ever experienced as a kid, but were now almost normal.  Futaba was detailing the epicness that was the recent episode of Phoenix Ranger Featherman R when the bell chimed and in waltzed Teruki.  The moment his eyes met Akira's he smiled and made his way over.  Noticing his distraction, Futaba paused in her discussion and turned around to face the newcomer.

 

"Morning, Akira!"

 

"Hey, Teruki.  You're here a lot earlier than normal.  What's the occasion?"

 

Teruki looked a bit bashful.  "Uh, well, I am leaving in a few hours for a vacation with my folks.  I absolutely wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't indulge in some of your coffee before going, since I'll be deprived all weekend."  The young man paused, blinking down at Futaba and then smiling again.  "Oh, hello.  Didn't mean to interrupt your conversation."

 

Futaba glanced between Akira and Teruki for a moment before replying, "No problem.  Name's Futaba.  You're a customer?"

 

Akira met Teruki's eyes and clarified.  "One of my new regulars, and a friend.  Futaba's my partner, actually.  The one I was telling you about yesterday?"

 

Teruki's eyes flashed with understanding.  "Truly?  It's an honor to meet you, Futaba-chan."

 

"Likewise."

 

The bell rang again.  Akira sighed, mourning the fact that enough customers seemed to be showing up to signal the end of his peaceful breakfast, but when he looked up, he was shocked to find Ryuji standing at the door.  Teruki visibly stiffened, but schooled his face into a neutral expression.  After staring each other down for a moment, Ryuji finally sighed, "Hey, uh, listen, I wanted to apologize.  I was a huge dick to you yesterday.  You, uh...didn't deserve that.  So...Sorry."

 

Teruki blinked, mouth falling open a bit.  A bemused smile eventually replaced his shock.  "Oh, um, that's...alright.  I can appreciate being protective of a close friend."

 

Ryuji nodded, "Yeah.  Sometimes I forget that he can fight his own battles though. And that's still no excuse.  We cool?"

 

"Yeah."

 

With that, Teruki accepted his latte to go and wished Akira a pleasant weekend before leaving.  Ryuji plopped down next to Futaba, looking absolutely exhausted.  After a moment, he realized he was getting some serious side eye from the red head beside him.  "What?" he grumbled.

 

"Nothing.  You're just growing up a bit, is all.  It's kinda weird."

 

"Shuddup!"

 

Akira hadn't honestly known what to expect if and when Ryuji ever figured out about his sexuality, and specifically the crush he used to have.  In many ways, that crush was an important part of how his time in the Phantom Thieves started.  The fact that it just fizzled out and died when he got together with Futaba had actually been more stressful than he had ever consciously been aware of.  But, now it felt like he finally had some closure.  His relationship with Ryuji was unharmed, he didn't lose his new friend in the process, and Ryuji seemed to be on a path to healing some of his old wounds too.  They could no longer force hearts to change in the Metaverse, but Akira was amused that they still managed to affect the hearts of others, even if it was in small, almost unnoticeable ways.  Business as usual for the ex-Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene where Ryuji asks if he hurt Akira has literally haunted me for over two weeks now. I know this is short, but I wanted to get it out on "paper" before it left me forever. 
> 
> This was actually one of the things that peeved me most about Persona 5: Ryuji's blatant and over exaggerated homophobia is never properly dealt with. Yusuke's story arc toes the line of straight and queer the whole way without making too big a deal out of it, but at every single turn, Ryuji has to shut down the idea that his feelings for Akira could even be viewed as not straight. To me, that felt like a defense mechanism. It pained me that we never got to delve deeper into it during the game, so I did what I could here.
> 
> I know I often paint Ann and Ryuji in bad lights, and that makes me kinda sad. But, honestly, they are the two main characters with most room for growth in my opinion. And it wouldn't be fair to their characters to ignore that, even if I can't dedicate myself to showing the journey I'd have them take the same way I did Akira and Futaba's journey. Anyway, hope you liked this. Feel free to leave me critiques, thoughts, questions, whatever in the comments!

**Author's Note:**

> You guys wanted more cute fluff so I made more cute fluff. After my first play through, the one character that I honestly felt bad for not romancing was Haru. She had such a deep respect and a pure crush on Akira and I felt like I kind of led her on a bit. I've been that person, many many times, who feels slightly awkward and jealous when the person I used to like is with someone else, so I wanted to explore that a bit. I promise it won't be a topic too highly revisited. Akira and Haru pretty much worked it all out here :)
> 
> Guys, I'm such a sucker for productive conversations. And for healthy relationships of all sorts. My current plan for this is for it to contain one shots related to the time the gang spends living together in The Thieves' Guild. There will be multiple couples popping up throughout the course, simply because I ship quite a lot of things. If a chapter is couple centric, I will indicate that in the chapter title so that y'all can choose to read or not. Futaba and Akira will be dating each other throughout this fic and I currently have another chapter dedicated to them figuring a couple things out about their relationship in the beginning planning phases. I have no plans of breaking them up AT ALL...but there may be some discussion of what its like to think other people are hot while in a long term relationship (because that's a thing that naturally happens I like forcing characters to deal with the weird stuff real life people have to deal with). That being said, I have many ideas but am not the fastest writer ever or best writer ever so encouraging the Kelley via comments and kudos is the best way to get her to write you nice cutesy things :P
> 
> Hope you all like it! Tell me any of your thoughts in comments. I love hearing what you guys think!


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